Gaming system and method for rewarding players

Abstract

A gaming system and method of rewarding players of electronic gaming machines connected by a network to a host computer which stores player-useable points at a network-accessible location, awards a personal points multiplier to a player, and applies the personal points multiplier to at least some of the points.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
       1. A gaming system comprising:
 a plurality of input devices including an acceptor; 
 at least one display device; 
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, 
 for a play of a game:
 determine a game outcome, and 
 cause the at least one display device to display the determined game outcome to a player, wherein a credit balance is increasable based on any award associated with the determined game outcome accumulate a first quantity of player-useable points, 
 
 responsive to the player making at least one input, via at least one of the input devices, to selectively apply a personal points multiplier;
 independent of the determination of the game outcome for the play of the game, apply the personal points multiplier to at least one of the first quantity of accumulated player-useable points to result in a multiplied quantity of accumulated player-usable points, and 
 cause the at least one display device to display the multiplied quantity of accumulated player-usable points, 
 
 responsive to the player not making any inputs to selectively apply the personal points multiplier, not apply the personal points multiplier to any of the first quantity of accumulated player-useable points, and 
 responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to enable the player to make the at least one input to selectively apply the personal points multiplier during a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       3. The gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to enable the player to make at least one input to initiate the predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       4. The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to provide a benefit to the player based on one of: said multiplied quantity of accumulated player-useable points and said first quantity of accumulated player-useable points. 
     
     
       5. The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor if the player makes the at least one input to selectively apply the personal points multiplier, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to apply the personal points multiplier to at least one of a second quantity of player-useable points stored in association with a player account. 
     
     
       6. A gaming system comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 for a play of a game:
 determine a game outcome, and 
 cause a display, by a display device of a mobile device, of the determined game outcome to a player, 
 accumulate a first quantity of player-useable points, 
 responsive to data associated with the player making at least one input to selectively apply a personal points multiplier being received:
 independent of the determination of the game outcome for the play of the game, apply the personal points multiplier to at least one of the first quantity of accumulated player-useable points to result in a multiplied quantity of accumulated player-usable points, and 
 cause a display, by the display device of the mobile device, of the multiplied quantity of accumulated player-usable points, and 
 
 responsive to no data associated with the player making any inputs to selectively apply the personal points multiplier being received, not apply the personal points multiplier to any of the first quantity of accumulated player-useable points. 
 
 
 
     
     
       7. The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to receive data associated with the player making the at least one input to selectively apply the personal points multiplier during a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       8. The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to receive data associated with the player making at least one input to initiate the predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       9. The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to cause a benefit to be provided the player based on one of: said multiplied quantity of accumulated player-useable points and said first quantity of accumulated player-useable points. 
     
     
       10. The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor if the data associated with the player making the at least one input to selectively apply the personal points multiplier is received, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to apply the personal points multiplier to at least one of a second quantity of player-useable points stored in association with a player account. 
     
     
       11. The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein any determined award associated with the determined game outcome causes an increase of a credit balance which is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance. 
     
     
       12. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
 for a play of a game:
 determining, by at least one processor, a game outcome, and 
 causing a display, by at least one display device, of the determined game outcome to a player, wherein any determined award associated with the determined game outcome causes an increase of a credit balance which is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance, 
 
 accumulating, by the at least one processor, a first quantity of player-useable points, 
 responsive to the player making at least one input to selectively apply a personal points multiplier;
 independent of the determination of the game outcome for the play of the game, applying, by the at least one processor, the personal points multiplier to at least one of the first quantity of accumulated player-useable points to result in a multiplied quantity of accumulated player-usable points, and 
 causing a display, by the at least one display device, of the multiplied quantity of accumulated player-usable points, and 
 
 responsive to the player not making any inputs to selectively apply the personal points multiplier, not applying the personal points multiplier to any of the first quantity of accumulated player-useable points. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising enabling the player to make the at least one input to selectively apply the personal points multiplier during a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising enabling the player to make at least one input to initiate the predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing a benefit to the player based on one of: said multiplied quantity of accumulated player-useable points and said first quantity of accumulated player-useable points. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising, responsive to the player making the at least one input to selectively apply the personal points multiplier, applying, by the at least one processor, the personal points multiplier to at least one of a second quantity of player-useable points stored in association with a player account. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , which is executed through a data network. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the data network is an internet.